Dodd puts more pressure on China imports

Dodd puts more pressure on China imports    Presidential hopeful Christopher Dodd last Friday urged President Bush to suspend the import of food, toy and pet food products from China until safety concerns are resolved.
   Sen. Dodd, D-Conn., said in a letter to Bush that imports should be denied entry until the Chinese government can ensure an adequate inspection regime is in place.
   In recent months, many products originating in China such as tires, toothpaste, pet food and toys have been recalled due to unsafe chemicals and additives or faulty designs. That has led to many questions about the overall safety of Chinese goods and calls from many quarters for tighter inspection by U.S. government agencies.
   Earlier this month Mattel recalled more than 9 million toys because they contained lead paint or small magnets that could be swallowed by children. President Bush has set up an import safety panel and some in Congress have called for an import czar to coordinate inspections of foreign-produced products.
   “While it is clear that many U.S. businesses who choose to locate their manufacturing facilities outside of the United States have failed to guarantee the safety of their products, it is also clear that the U.S. government's current inspection system is simply inadequate. Therefore, I urge you to work with the U.S. Congress to devise a more robust and effective inspection mechanism, so that we can make certain that all products imported to the United States and used by American consumers are safe, regardless of where these products originate,” the chairman of the Senate Banking Committee wrote.